Master Sgt. Chris Odom, of the Georgia Air National Guard’s Savannah-based 165th Airlift Wing, is hugged by Vona Goodman, of Tennessee, after he returned from a deployment early Friday afternoon. Odom and Goodman reconnected online after 30 years while Odom was deployed to Kuwait in support of operations through the Middle East.

LEFT: Master Sgt. Chris Odom is hugged by Vona Goodman of Tennessee after he returned from his deployment Friday. The two recently reconnected online after years apart. RIGHT: A girl holds up a sign that reads “Welcome home, Daddy” on Friday at the Georgia Air National Guard’s 165th Airlift Wing at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.

The rumble of the massive, quad-propeller aircraft drowned out the cheers and applause from below as the C-130 approached the 165th Airlift Wing’s Savannah hangar early Friday afternoon.

Family members and friends of the returning Georgia Air National Guardsmen clutched homemade signs and fought back tears as they watched the plane over the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.

Within minutes, about 30 airmen returning from Kuwait — where they staged airlift missions across the Middle East — were in their loved ones’ arms for the first time in four months.

“I’m just glad to be home,” said Capt. Seth Adler, a navigator returning from his first deployment. “It’s been way too long.”

The C-130 that arrived Friday was the first of three planeloads of 165th airmen. The second flight is expected to return to Savannah today and the third next week as the airlift wing completes its 11th deployment to the Middle East since 2001, in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

The Georgia National Guard’s top general was among the dozens waiting to welcome back the returning troops.